Determination of 2,4-dinitrophenol (2,4-DNP) in simulated radioactive waste by high performance liquid chromatography
摘要
The Hanford Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant is being built to treat tank waste through vitrification. In order to reduce the amount of waste requiring vitrification, an alternative pathway being investigated is immobilization in cementitious waste form. Land Disposal Restricted organic compounds present in the tank waste require additional treatment prior to cementitious immobilization. 2,4-dinitrophenol, a Land Disposal Restricted organic compound, was spiked into caustic non-radioactive 4 M sodium tank waste simulant and treated with sodium permanganate or sodium persulfate in attempt to oxidize the organic compound. A method was developed using High Performance Liquid Chromatography to quantitate the 2,4-dinitrophenol concentration in the treated simulant solutions. The minimum detection limit of 2,4-dinitrophenol for the method was 17 mg L−1 with one σ uncertainty of 10%. While the oxidizers did not decompose the 2,4-dinitrophenol, the High Performance Liquid Chromatography method can be implemented and modified if necessary for other organic compounds in the tank waste simulant.